Portland Considers Letting Fire Bureau Charge For 'Lift' Calls

PORTLAND, OR – They've fallen and they can't get up. And it's been Portland taxpayers who have been paying the bill.

On Wednesday, the Portland City Council will consider changing that.

The council will look at allowing the Portland Fire Bureau to charge for so-called "lift" calls where they respond to an assisted living facility or nursing home where a resident has fallen to the ground and staff can't him or her back up.

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Firefighters responded to 345 calls in the last fiscal year. They were all non-medical calls where the person did not have to be hospitalized.

Each call costs the city $1,050, according to the city. That works out to almost one call every day for the year and a total cost to taxpayers of more than $360,000.

The proposal would allow the fire bureau to charge $500 for each call.

They would only charge places like assisted living facilities and nursing homes where, presumably, they should have staff who can handle helping a resident get off the floor.

The fee would not apply to calls in homes, apartments, and just out on the street.